The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle

Acknowledgments

Sometimes acknowledgments are the hardest part of the book. There’s usually a lot of people to thank, and despite having sixty novels under my belt so far, each book still requires so much support from the people around me. Though writing is a solitary profession (for the most part), no writer is truly alone when it comes to producing a novel. It really does take a village to lift you up, keep you going, and help you make the book the best it can be.

And I needed a village for The Royals Next Door. This was the first book I’d written since the pandemic started, so there was definitely some extra friction there when it came to creating something fun, light, and sexy in the midst of so much trauma, sorrow, and chaos. I couldn’t have gotten this book done without the people who truly believed in me: my parents; my super-agent, Taylor, who fell in love with the idea within a sentence and told me to run with it; my amazing editors, Sarah Blumenstock and Cindy Hwang (I am in awe of your talent, skills, and tireless patience with me); everyone I’ve had the pleasure to work with at Berkley; my film agent, Alice Lawson; Nina Grinstead; Colet Abedi; Anna Todd; Kathleen Tucker; Tarryn Fisher; Sandra Cortez; Laura Helseth; all the wonderful bookstagrammers who create such gorgeous art and share my work; every member of my FB group (shout-out to the Anti-Heroes!); all my readers who have stuck with me; Meghan Markle Stan Twitter for providing inspiration; and the locals of Salt Spring Island (my home). And to anyone picking up this book: you’re the reason I get to do what I do.

To Scott (and Bruce): I love you. Thank you for loving me.